M°>  3  h 


Ube  Educational  llnfluence  of  tbe  C.  M. 
36.  /ID.  on  tbe  JPoung. 


“A  tiny,  precious  seed  was  dropped  one  day  into  the  earth, 

When  lo !  as  if  by  magic  touch  a  wondrous  tree  came  forth. 

’Twas  strangely  fair  and  beautiful,  for  'twas  our  Lord’s  command 
That  gave  it  birth  to  cast  its  shade  o’er  all  this  weary  land. 

It  is  our  own  loved  Christian  Woman’s  Board  of  Missions  tree, 
Whose  roots  are  grounded  firm  and  deep,  deep  as  eternity. 

Its  purpose  is  to  do  the  will  of  Him  of  Galilee, 

Who  taught  the  lowly  fishermen,  as  they  sat  beside  the  sea, 

To  leave  their  nets  and  follow  Him  ;  and  go  and  teach  His  Word, 
Till  every  nation,  tribe  and  tongue  should  own  Him  as  their  Lord. 
Its  branches  are  outspreading  far,  that  all  the  lands  around 
May,  in  its  leaves  of  healing,  find  a  balm  for  every  wound. 

And  when  the  harvest  time  appears,  may  its  rich  fruitage  be 
The  ransomed  of  all  nations,  from  land,  from  sea  to  sea.” 

In  a  little  home  in  Virginia,  25  years  ago,  a  baby  girl  was 
born.  The  loving  mother  welcomed  her  and  consecrated 
her  to  the  Lord  to  be  used  in  His  service.  At  the  same  time, 
in  a  far  distant  State,  another  child  was  born — a  child 
which  came  in  answer  to  earnest  prayer  from  the  hearts  of 
75  consecrated  Christian  women.  How  wonderfully  that 
child  grew  into  maturity!  Full  of  strength  and  power,  it 
proved  a  blessing  to  all.  So  far-spreading  was  its  influence 
that  it  reached  across  the  States,  and  led  the  mother  of  the 
little  girl  into  active  service  for  the  Master.  As  the  little 
girl  grew  older  she  also  began  to  feel  the  spiritual  power 
from  that  mature  child  of  prayer,  until  the  heart  was  drawn 
into  closer  touch  with  the  Master.  So  strong  was  the  love 
they  bore  each  other  that  they  became  as  twin  sisters. 

And  now  the  little  girl,  grown  into  womanhood,  stands 
before  you  to  speak  of  the  wonderful  influence  of  this  loved 
twin  sister,  our  Christian  Woman’s  Board  of  Missions. 
Where  is  the  heart  that  does  not  thrill  with  a  glad  rapture 
at  that  dear  name  which  recalls  such  loving  memories  with 
our  Lord?  Who  does  not  love  to  lay  aside  the  busy  home 
cares,  and  with  our  hearts  centered  upon  Jesus  and  His 
love,  go  to  our  monthly  meetings,  there  to  meet  with  our 
consecrated  sisters  to  pray  for  the  spreading  of  His  king¬ 
dom,  and  learn  from  the  spiritual  talks  and  readings  more 
about  our  work  and  workers?  What  untold  joy  comes  to 
us  as  we  leave  those  happy  meetings,  to  carry  with  us 
through  the  month  the  object  of  our  Christian  Woman’s 
Board  of  Missions  !  “To  cultivate  a  missionary  spirit,  to 


encourage  missionary  effort  in  the  church,  and  to  secure 
systematic  contributions  for  missionary  purposes.”  Can  it 
be  that  the  young  woman  can  find  no  place  in  such  a  joyful 
service?  Oh  !  yes,  there  is  surely  a  place  for  us.  Our  ranks 
should  no  longer  be  made  up  so  largely  with  the  consecrated 
wives  and  mothers.  The  young  Endeavorers  who  have 
learned  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  the  great  joy  that  comes 
from  a  knowledge  of  Christ  should  impart  it  to  others. 
With  the  love  of  Christ  constraining  us,  and  a  true  knowl¬ 
edge  of  what  He  would  like  to  have  us  do,  trusting  in  the 
Lord  for  strength,  we  should  go  forth  in  this  service  now 
while  the  Master  is  calling  for  us.  Nor  should  we  stop  until 
all  nations  shall  have  heard  of  the  wonderful  love  of  God  in 
the  gift  of  His  only  begotten  Son.  Contrast  the  lives  of  the 
young  women  of  the  C.  W.  B.  M.,  who  are  spending  their 
time  in  the  service  of  our  Master,  with  the  young  women 
who  have  no  thought  save  that  of  serving  self,  and  how  we 
pity  the  sad  condition  of  the  latter  !  Many  of  them  living 
lives  of  ease  and  refinement,  clad  in  fine  apparel,  go  to  the 
house  of  God,  and  occasionally  drop  a  dime  into  the  mis¬ 
sionary  box,  praying  that  the  kingdom  of  God  may  come, 
yet  in  their  lives  doing  nothing  to  hasten  that  coming.  “Oh! 
you  queens !  you  queens !  Among  the  hills  and  happy 
greenwood  of  this  land  of  yours,  shall  the  foxes  have  holes 
and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  and  in  your  cities  shall 
the  stones  cry  out 'against  you  that  they  are  the  only  pil¬ 
lows  where  the  Son  of  man  can  rest  His  head?  Will  you 
not  go  down  among  those  sweet  living  things,  whose  new 
courage  sprung  from  the  earth  with  the  deep  color  of 
heaven  upon  it  as  it  is  starting  up  in  strength  of  goodly 
spire,  and  whose  purity,  washed  from  the  dust,  is  opening 
bud  by  bud,  into  the  flower  of  promise?  And  still  they  turn 
to  you  and  for  you,  ‘The  Larkspur  listens — I  hear;  I  hear  ! 
And  the  Lily  whispers — I  wait.’”  The  young  woman  of 
the  Christian  Woman’s  Board  of  Missions  is  learning  from 
the  blessed  Savior  the  secret  of  loving  service. 

Christ  is  the  center  of  her  life,  and,  as  He  came  not  to  be 
ministered  unto  but  to  minister  and  to  give  His  life  a  ransom 
for  many,  so  she  is  trying  to  “let  this  same  mind  be  in  her 
which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus.”  By  sending  the  glad 
message  of  a  risen  Lord  to  others,  her  own  heart  is  strength¬ 
ened.  Her  words  are  full  of  power  and  tenderness  be¬ 
cause  her  life  is  hid  with  Christ.  She  preaches  a  sermon 
every  day  in  her  home  and  among  her  neighbors  by  her 
ministry  of  love. 

Is  there  not  a  rich  blessing  in  store  for  those  who  thus 


spend  their  lives  in  the  service  of  our  Father  in  Heaven? 
Has  He  not  all  along  richly  blessed  those  who  have  given 
their  lives  in  self-denial  for  others?  Even  before  Christ 
came,  we  see  in  the  life  of  Esther,  the  young  queen,  a  beau¬ 
tiful  example  of  self-denial.  She  was  taken,  a  little,  ob¬ 
scure  girl,  from  her  humble  home  and  raised  to  the  exalted 
position  of  queen  over  a  hundred  and  twenty-seven  prov¬ 
inces.  Possessed  with  rare  grace  and  a  wealth  of  love  and 
power,  she  was  willing  to  give  up  all  these  for  the  sake  of 
her  humble  people,  whom  she  had  not  ceased  to  love.  With 
these  words  on, her  lips,  “If  I  perish,  I  perish,”  she  risked 
her  life,  not  even  having  a  clear  knowledge  of  the  home 
which  the  dear  Savior  has  gone  to  prepare  for  those  who 
faithfully  serve  Him.  Ruth,  also,  gives  us  a  loving  example 
of  self-forgetfulness  in  following  her  mother-in-law.  Leav¬ 
ing  her  native  country  she  gladly  follows  Naomi,  saying, 
“Whither  thou  goest !  will  go,  and  where  thou  lodgest  I 
will  lodge  ;  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my 
God.  Where  thou  diest  I  will  die.  The  Lord  do  so  to  me, 
and  more  also,  if  aught  but  death  part  me  and  thee.”  It 
was  a  noble  spirit  which  prompted  these  young  women  to 
such  a  loving  service.  Esther  and  Ruth  were  true  servants 
of  God,  but  they  were  not  free  with  that  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  hath  made  us  free.  It  was  through  Christ  that 
Mary  found  that  “good  part.”  Her  one  desire  was  to  know 
more  of  Him  and  to  be  used  in  His  service.  How  beauti¬ 
fully  her  devoted  life  carried  out  the  words  of  the  psalmist: 
“Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  Thee?  and  there  is  none  upon 
earth  that  I  desire  beside  Thee.”  For  the  sake  of  His  dear 
love,  Mary  was  willing  to  lay  aside,  for  a  time,  all  ordinary 
earthly  cares.  More  than  1,800  years  have  passed  since 
Mary  made  that  wise  choice,  but  from  her  shoulders  the 
mantle  has  fallen  upon  many  of  our  young  women  of  the 
Christian  Woman’s  Board  of  Missions,  choosing  that  “good 
part”  that  can  never  be  taken  away.  Our  Adelaide  Frost, 
Alice  Spradlin,  Rosa  Oxer,  Bessie  Farrar  and  many  others 
have  put  their  lives  in  the  trust  of  our  kind  Heavenly 
Father  and  have  said  :  “If  I  perish,  I  perish,  but  I  will  go 
and  lift  the  royal  banner  of  our  Lord,  where  precious  souls, 
for  whom  Christ  died,  are  only  waiting  for  the  message  in 
order  to  receive  it.”  And  now  from  far-away  India  come 
these  comforting  words:  “  Do  not  feel  sorry  for  us  and 
think  it  a  sacrifice,  for  it  is  only  a  joyful,  loving  service  for 
our  Master.  Tell  the  young  people  not  to  be  afraid  to 
come  and  join  us,  for  we  are  so  happy  in  our  work  for 
Christ.”  Such  are  the  lives  that  have  gone  from  the  influ- 


ence  of  the  C.  W.  B.  M.  to  gladden  hearts  and  homes  in  for¬ 
eign  lands.  Then  there  are  our  earnest  young  women  who 
are  engaged  in  the  home  work  as  Superintendents  of  Mis¬ 
sion  Bands  and  Junior  Societies — those  who  are  having 
a  part  in  training  the  young  for  lives  of  usefulness  in  His 
vineyard.  What  a  blessing  this  work  has  proven  to  the 
young  woman ! 

“  Yes,  we  have  a  work  for  Jesus,  living  echoes  we  will  be, 

Of  Thine  own  sweet  words  of  blessing,  of  Thy  gracious  ‘Come  to  Me.’ 
Jesus,  Master,  yes,  we  love  Thee,  and  to  prove  our  love,  we  lay 
Fruits  of  lips  which  Thou  wilt  open,  at  Tliy  blessed  feet  to-day. 
Many  an  effort  it  may  cost  us,  many  a  heart-beat,  many  a  fear, 

But  Thou  knowest  and  wilt  strengthen,  and  Thy  help  is  always  near. 
Give  us  grace  to  follow  fully,  vanquishing  our  faithless  shame, 
Feeble  it  may  be,  but  truly,  witnessing  for  Thy  dear  name.” 

The  work  of  our  C.  W.  B.  M.,  like  the  quality  of  mercy, 
“is  not  strained.  It  droppeth  like  rain  from  Heaven  upon 
the  earth  beneath.  It  is  twice  blessed.  It  blesseth  him 
that  gives  and  him  that  takes.” 

You  remember,  dear  Sisters,  when  Solomon  went  before 
the  Lord,  upon  being  made  king,  in  that  night  did  God  ap¬ 
pear  unto  him  and  say:  “Ask  what  I  shall  give  thee.” 
Then  did  Solomon  ask  for  wisdom  and  knowledge  to  rule 
his  people.  In  making  that  wise  choice,  riches  and  honor 
were  added  unto  him  by  our  loving  Father.  So  it  was  with 
our  consecrated  sisters  who  sought,  above  all  other  things, 
to  bring  glory  and  honor  to  the  Lord.  They  did  not  ask  for 
riches  and  honors  for  themselves,  but  for  wisdom  to  do  the 
Lord’s  will  in  spreading  His  glorious  kingdom.  In  making 
this  wise  choice  the  Christian  wives  and  mothers  were  not 
only  blessed  themselves,  but  studying  to  know  the  will  and 
wishes  of  our  dear  Savior,  they  received  a  blessing  for  their 
children.  An  appreciation  of  this  blessed  work  has  entered 
the  home.  The  little  children  have  caught  the  sweet  in¬ 
spiration  and,  with  their  motto,  “Shine  for  Jesus,”  a  host 
of  Little  Builders  are  doing  their  part  to  take  the  world  for 
Christ.  Through  the  influence  of  our  Auxiliaries,  which 
were  given  to  our  consecrated  sisters  for  the  wise  choice 
they  made,  many  of  their  sons  and  daughters  have  so  felt 
the  love  of  Christ  constraining  them  that  they  have  gone 
into  the  dark  heathen  lands,  there  to  plant  the  cross  of 
Christ. 

Not  only  are  our  sisters  called  upon  to  give  their  time,  tal¬ 
ents  and  means,  to  be  used  in  His  service,  as  when  the 
blessed  work  first  began,  but  now  their  very  loved  and  own 
are  called  to  hasten  the  coming  of  our  Lord.  As  I  stand 


before  you  to-night,  a  picture  comes  before  me  of  an  earnest 
Christian  mother  with  her  two  little  girls,  one  on  each  side, 
trudging  across  a  long  bridge  going  to  the  C.  W.  fe.  M. 
meeting.  That  evening  a  letter  is  read,  which  tells  of  those 
who  are  perishing  in  heathen  lands  without  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  the  great  need  of  workers.  The  hearts  of  these 
little  girls  are  touched  by  this  appeal,  and  on  their  way 
home  the  older  one  says  to  the  younger,  “Sister,  when  I 
grow  up  I  am  going  myself  to  carry  the  gospel  to  those  sad 
people.  Will  you  not  go  with  me?”  The  younger  replies: 
“If  I  can  not  go  with  you,  Sister,  and  leave  my  mother,  I 
will  do  all  I  can  to  help  send  others.”  As  these  little  girls 
grew  into  young  womanhood  those  early  influences  were 
strengthened  by  the  spirited  meetings  of  the  C.  W.  B.  M., 
and  in  answer  to  earnest  prayer,  the  time  came  at  last  when 
the  older  one  could  prepare  herself  for  work  in  the  foreign 
field.  Another  picture  comes  before  me.  It  is  a  time  of 
parting  in  a  Christian  home.  All  eyes  are  fastened  lovingly 
upon  that  older  daughter,  who  is  about  to  leave  her  loved 
ones  to  go  into  far-away  India,  there  to  lift  the  cross  of 
Christ.  Is  it  because  she  loves  her  dear  ones  any  less  that 
she  is  willing  to  go?  Ah!  no,  but  because  she  loves  Christ. 
And  now  we  see  the  fond  mother,  who  led  her  little  girls  to 
the  meeting  of  the  C.  W.  B.  M.,  as  she  strains  her  eyes  to 
catch  the  last  glimpse  of  her  darling  child.  What  means 
the  sweet,  sad  smile  on  her  face?  It  means  that  for  His 
sake  she  is  willing  to  give  her  loved  and  own  to  be  used  in 
His  service. 

“  Not  her  own,  but  His  by  right, 

His  peculiar  treasure  now, 

Fair  and  precious  in  His  sight. 

Purchased  jewels  for  his  brow, 

He  will  keep  what  thus  He  sought, 

Safely  guard  the  dearly  bought, 

Cherish  that  which  He  did  choose, 

Always  keep  and  never  lose.” 

How  joyful  the  service  of  the  young  woman  who  thus  en¬ 
trusts  her  life  into  the  Savior’s  keeping.  She  can  sing  with 
Isaiah  of  old,  “Behold  God  is  my  light  and  my  salvation;  I 
will  trust  and  not  be  afraid,  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my 
strength  and  my  song.  He  also  is  become  my  salvation.  There¬ 
fore  with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation. 
And  in  that  day  ye  shall  say,  Praise  the  Lord,  call  upon 
His  name,  declare  His  doings  among  the  people.  Make 
mention  that  His  name  is  exalted.  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  for 
He  hath  done  excellent  things.  This  is  known  in  all  the 
earth.  Cry  out  and  shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion,  for 


great  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee.”  Dear 
young  people,  we  invite  you  to  come  and  join  us  in  the  joy¬ 
ful  service,  and  be  set  apart  for  hastening  of  the  coming  of 
the  Lord’s  kingdom. 

“Set  apart  for  Jesus ! 

Is  not  this  enough, 

Though  the  desert  prospect 
Open  wild  and  rough? 

Set  apart  for  His  delight, 

Chosen  for  His  holy  pleasure, 

Sealed  to  be  His  special  treasure, 

Could  we  choose  a  nobler  joy, 

And  would  we  if  we  might? 

“Set  apart  to  serve  Him, 

Ministers  of  light 
Standing  in  His  presence, 

Ready  day  or  night ; 

Chosen  for  the  service  blest, 

He  would  have  us  always  willing, 

Like  the  angel  host  fulfilling, 

Swiftly  and  rejoicingly, 

Each  recognized  behest. 

“Set  apart  to  praise  Him  ; 

Set  apart  for  this ; 

Have  the  blessed  angels 
Any  truer  bliss? 

Soft  the  prelude  though  so  clear 
Isolated  tones  are  trembling, 

But  the  chosen  choir  assembling 
Soon  shall  sing  together, 

While  the  universe  shall  hear. 

“Set  apart  to  love  Him 
And  His  love  to  know ; 

Not  to  waste  affection 
On  a  passing  show ; 

Called  to  give  Him  life  and  heart, 

Called  to  pour  the  hidden  treasure 
That  none  other  claims  to  measure 
Into  His  beloved  hand, 

Thrice  blessed,  set  apart.” 


Published  by  the  Christian  Woman’s  Board  of  Missions,  152  East 
Market  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  March,  1900.  One  cent  each;  ten  cents 
per  dozen. 


